October 11 ~  The Gift of God Molokai

"Beauty is the gift of God." ~ Aristotle

From Maui, a 15-minute airplane hop over the Pailolo Channel takes you to pure paradise... The island of Moloka'i, a place of timeless beauty that is a gift from God. Where Nature calls and offers serenity...

"Moloka'i pule o'o," claimed the old Hawaiian proverb. "The prayers of Moloka'i are answered."

Moloka'i (molo=barren, kai=sea), called "The Friendly Island," has "7,400 residents, is shaped roughly like a moccasin," said Charles Roessler of the New York Times. Much of the 38-mile-long and 10-mile-wide island is inaccessable. The north coast features the tallest sea cliffs in the world with sheer drops of over 3500 feet.

Nestled there is Kalaaupapa, an isolated peninsula that juts out into the ocean, where Belgium priest Father Damien once cared for his leper colony amid the aromatic eucalyptus and ironwood trees.

"Beauty," said poet Gabriela Mistral, "is the shadow of God on the universe."

Halawa Valley, where God's shadow kisses the untouched east end, with miles of lush tropical rain forests that receive over 230 inches of rain each year. Mt. Kamakou, the highest point on the island, towers majestically at 4,961 feet.

A wise Hawaiian Proverb observed, "Life is in the clouds: great life, broad life, deep life, elevated life."

The west end's 53,000-acre Molokai Ranch Wildlife Park is home to Moloka'i deer and African and Asian exotic wildlife. The three-mile long Papohaku Beach is the largest white sand beach in the state.

"Paint your Paradise," urged writer Nikos Kazantzakis, "then walk in."

Moloka'i is painted paradise: old Hawaiian fishing ponds, taro farms, sacred heiau, dramatic waterfalls, and more. This palette of unspoiled Nature is a celebration of God's gifts and the timeless spirit of aloha.

 Celebrate the beauty all around you.